Ollie Watkins

[Brend'Watkins]

Scored in his last three league games now so should be full of confidence, I thought it was a nice finish yesterday.

Nice one, just passed it by the keeper. Very unlike Ollie really. Good ball from Luiz too, he is totting up the assists for us.

Made the space to do with his touch before as well

If Emi let that goal in in that manner I would/t be happy at all. Olly hit the target and got his goal and you can't ask for any more.  Was decent in the air too won stuff you wouldn't normally expect him to.

[LeeB]

It's a subtle thing but that touch slightly to the right means the keeper shifts slightly too, meaning an accurate shot across him is more likely to find the net. It's the kind of thing that you can coach and can make a big difference, he took it really well and looked like a proper centre forward doing it, which is not always the case for Ollie in that kind of position.

[Footy-Vill]

I won't make a poll but will ask:

How many Premier League goals do you expect Ollie Watkins to score this season?
Currently on 6 with 16 more possible matches this season for him to play in.

Total:
a)6-9 not to score again or only 1,2 or 3 goals.
b)10: 4 more but in total 1 less than last season
c)11: as many as he scored last season 21/22
d)12-13: 1 to 2 more than last season
e)14: as many as he scored in his 20/21 first Premier League season
f)15+: would be his best ever goals tally in his three seasons.

I'm going f) and for 15 exactly.
Watkins to score 9 more goals.

[AV82EC]

It's a subtle thing but that touch slightly to the right means the keeper shifts slightly too, meaning an accurate shot across him is more likely to find the net. It's the kind of thing that you can coach and can make a big difference, he took it really well and looked like a proper centre forward doing it, which is not always the case for Ollie in that kind of position.

Bloody hell coaching players to be better at core skills, what is this sorcery….

[Steve67]

Footy, 12 minimum.

[LeeB]

Footy, 12 minimum.

That's no good, he'd be out in 6

[Simon Page]

1, 4 or 7.

[brontebilly]

Ings goes, Watkins improves....not a coincidence for me.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

You get the sense he’s being coached and pushed a bit to think about his game rather than just run about a lot.

I hope you're right. If Emery can make a decent footballer out of him I'll be well impressed. The comment about staying up the pitch makes so much sense, it's so frustrating watching us with all eleven players 15 yards in our own half, only to see the balled cleared and there's nobody there, it just comes back.

Credit to Watkins for his goal yesterday, I'd forgotten he was on the pitch, not all his fault granted but when we do get a chance we have to be far more clinical and he certainly was. Great strike, it was both the accuracy and power that made the Citeh keeper look flat footed. Duran also put a great ball into the box for him, he didn't get it but it was great to see Watkins at least being fed the type of ball he thrives on. Let's pray he continues to score, it will certainly drive his price up come the summer where hopefully we can have a massive upgrade.

[Risso]

Any chance we could put some of this coaching into not making ridiculous horrendous defensive errors?

[Dante Lavelli]

A blessing for Watkins is that to justify replacing him you’re either looking at a £60m+ player or a series of punts on young players like Duran (fingers crossed we got it right first time!).  That’s a tricky gamble for any manager.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

A blessing for Watkins is that to justify replacing him you’re either looking at a £60m+ player or a series of punts on young players like Duran (fingers crossed we got it right first time!).  That’s a tricky gamble for any manager.

It depends how much you think we could get for Watkins. A month back I would have said the same £12m-£15m we got for Ings. Now he's in the goals and if he can continue until the end of the season then maybe £30m. That would mean your £60m striker is only costing us £30m to replace Watkins. Great business if we can do it.

[PaulWinch again]

£12-15m for Watkins even in his drought would have been ludicrously low.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

£12-15m for Watkins even in his drought would have been ludicrously low.

His drought lasted pretty much 12 months. Ings, despite not having the minutes at least did what it said on the tin. Yes, he is older and looks like he couldn't run a bath but you want your strikers to be hitting the back of the net. El Ghazi was a classic case of failing to sell when his value was high. The summer before we'd have got £15m off somebody for him; 12 months later we struggled to give him away.

[Clampy]

£12-15m for Watkins even in his drought would have been ludicrously low.

It would, especially when Newcastle supposedly paid £25m for Chris Wood.